D.C.-area sports shops hit by pickleball paddle thefts

DMV sports shops have been hit by a string of pickleball paddle-nappings.

Why it matters: Pickleball has exploded in popularity over the last few years especially around D.C., leading to more courts, more players, and some local drama , of course.

Driving the news: D.C. shop Tennis Zone Plus, Virginia-based group Alpine Ski Shop, and Rockville's Tennis Topia have all recently had pickleball paddles stolen, with the last store losing around $4,500 worth of paddles, the Washington Post reports.

• It's part of a retail theft trend popping up across the country — thieves stole over $30,000 of pickleball paddles from a Colorado business in February.

Context: Pickleball paddles are likely targeted because they're lightweight, flat, and easily hideable, plus high-end ones can go for $250+.

What they're saying: "It is a small, high-dollar item," Alpine Ski Shop co-owner Tyler Bunch told the Post. "You sell them on eBay for $200 apiece or marketplace or Craigslist."

The intrigue: Several local owners allege that the same group of three people — a man and two women who snuck the paddles under loose clothing — were behind the thefts, although police couldn't confirm this.